Why Doctors Without Borders Is Rejecting 1 Million Free Vaccines From Pfizer
Doctors Without Borders has a message for pharma giant Pfizer : We don’t want your charity.
The global health care philanthropy (known as Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF in much of the world) is turning down Pfizer’s significant offer of one million free pneumonia vaccines to administer to at-risk children.
Cone pointed out that donation offers such as the one that Pfizer made often come with caveats that restrict exactly where the vaccines can be administered and who can receive them. That can actually wind up slowing down vaccination campaigns during public health emergencies. (Pneumonia kills about one million children every year.)
Cone also emphasized that donations can serve as a shield for big pharma companies to excuse drug price hikes. In fact, Cone argues that the tactic can actually be anti-competitive, discouraging other entrants into the vaccine market which might have otherwise helped reduce prices for all customers.